SummerSlam 2014 preview
WWE SUMMERSLAM takes place this Sunday, August 17, from the sold out Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. SummerSlam will be the last WWE event to bear the scratch logo: the sci-fi-style WWE logo, unveiled in January, will be used for all company events and products from Monday.
What follows is the SummerSlam card line-up, the psmag.co.uk opinion on the background to the matches, and those all-important predictions.
Incidentally, we urge you not to wager sums of money you cannot afford to lose, based on our predictions. We could be wrong. Alternatively, we could be right today and incorrect by bell time: the fickle creative people in WWE do have a tendency to change their minds about match outcomes (and many other things). You already knew that . . .
Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose (Lumberjack match).
Background: The one-on-one grudge match which should have taken place at Battleground on July 20 finally occurs on pay-per-view this Sunday. The former Shield members have been afforded plenty of television and pay-per-view time to promote this showdown, and Ambrose has been outstanding in his portrayal of the wronged babyface, who is determined to exact vengeance. We hope they are allocated at least 13 minutes and can produce a match befitting their history (Rollins turned heel on Ambrose and Roman Reigns on June 2, ages ago by modern standards) and the occasion.
Prediction: Rollins will win, following interference from whomever Ambrose will battle next. Truthfully, that’s just a guess. This could go either way.
Jack Swagger vs. Rusev (Flag match).
Background: It’s SummerSlam 1993 revisited in this American vs. foreign menace clash. Jingoism rules again. A rematch from Battleground in Tampa, where Rusev defeated Swagger by count out, this Flag match should be a hard-hitting, heated war. (As an aside, who could have predicted four months ago that Cesaro would be booked as Swagger’s fall guy/set-up man in the weeks prior to SummerSlam?)
Prediction: Rusev will win. The Rusev juggernaut cannot break down in L.A. Meanwhile, a Rusev victory will provide WWE with another excuse to put Vladimir Putin over.
A.J. Lee vs. Paige (Divas title match).
Background: A.J. Lee returned on June 30 and won the Divas title from Paige in 62 seconds, then defeated her at Battleground. Turning heel proper on July 21, ex-champ Paige has outsmarted and pasted A.J. in most of their confrontations since. A.J. was embarrassingly pinned by Eva Marie on the August 11 Raw after Paige had distracted her. The Divas champion looked weak and gullible, and came across as a sore loser when she attacked Eva ringside in the post-match.
Prediction: Paige has momentum as a heel. Conversely, A.J. has almost none as a face. We think Paige should win: August 17 is not the night for her to lose another major televised match. There will be chants of “C.M. Punk” in Los Angeles.
The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler (Intercontinental title match).
Background: Miz last eliminated Ziggler to claim the vacant Intercontinental title at Battleground.
Prediction: The Miz will win — and so he should. His self-absorbed movie star character is a crack-up. Miz’s self-deprecating remarks about the adulation he has received in his hometown of Cleveland, and ludicrous expressions of gratitude towards wife Maryse and their cats and dogs have been mid-card heel comedy gold.
Bray Wyatt vs. Chris Jericho.
Background: Wyatt continues to tread water against the veteran who’s just passing through. The sooner this feud ends and Wyatt moves on to something constructive, the better.
Prediction: Wyatt will win. He has to following the outcome of his bout with Jericho at Battleground.
Brie Bella vs. Stephanie McMahon.
Background: An offshoot of the Daniel Bryan vs. Authority story line, Brie Bella vs. Stephanie has sucked up too much air time lately. What it has reaffirmed is that Brie has no range as a babyface and no likeable qualities, beyond her physical appearance. We are convinced the only reason fans have cheered her is because Steph has been so loathsome. Judged on her own merit, Brie is a colossal zero as a character/personality. WWE did her no favours on Raw this past Monday when it featured a segment in which a woman, who was purported to be Daniel Bryan’s physical therapist, disclosed that she had been having an affair with Bryan. Far worse than the woman’s acting performance was the gullibility of Brie: enraged, she immediately accepted the therapist’s tale and slapped her, which resulted in Brie’s story line arrest later on the programme. A babyface with a brain would not have fallen for such a blatant ruse (the therapist was brought to the ring by Steph, who was obviously pulling her strings). Come on, WWE. You portrayed Brie as a total imbecile on August 11.
Prediction: Brie will win. If she doesn’t, she might as well quit WWE for real. As written on psmag.co.uk last week, WWE will install diversions and add-ons to prop up the match. Daniel Bryan and HHH will be the guest stars.
Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton.
Background: Reigns has been rumbling with Orton throughout the Evolution reformation and Authority story lines. Both have been positioned strongly by virtue of decisive wins on television. Sheamus was sacrificed to Orton’s RKO on the August 11 Raw.
Prediction: Reigns will win. Although it might not be a clean victory (WWE could withhold that until Night Of Champions), Reigns is the chosen one in WWE; he should suffer no setbacks as he strives to establish himself as a singles headliner. On the match quality front: this will be very good. These two have collided numerous times in singles and tags. Assured dance partners, Reigns and Orton could probably have a choice match with their eyes closed.
John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar (WWE World heavyweight title match).
Background: The hype has been sparse. A few promos and videos, and a square-off from which Lesnar retreated at the end of the Hulk Hogan birthday celebration segment on this week’s Raw. The assumption is that WWE believes the participants’ name value is sufficient to sell this main event.
Prediction: Lesnar has to win, otherwise his termination of The Undertaker’s Streak at WrestleMania XXX will seem even more nonsensical. If Lesnar does leave the Staples Center with the belts, the question then becomes: when will he defend them? Lesnar will not feel obligated to work extra dates for this company, just because it has made him champion. The match should be a powerful one. Don’t expect to see the well-worn Cena routine. Lesnar, who will control the match, is not going to allow Cena to do anything which is not in his best interests. Not this time.